


a hand to hold in the dark

by to-a-merrier-world (wayward_wolves)



Series: sleepyhunk's prompts and drabbles [7]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 13:16:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12936078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayward_wolves/pseuds/to-a-merrier-world
Summary: Hunk wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, holding each other close and breathing each other in. It was comforting in a way that few things were, these days. Kolivan’s embrace was so warm and safe that it almost lulled Hunk to sleep again.--Kolivan has a nightmare and Hunk tries to make it better.





	a hand to hold in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt: "You had a nightmare, tell me what it was about so I can fix it."
> 
> Warning for very brief mention of torture and implied death of a canonically dead character (Antok). It is not explicit.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Hunk woke with a start. He was disoriented for a moment, unsure of what had woken him up since there were no blaring alarms like usual.

Then he heard a quiet, pained noise and felt the bed shift next to him. He turned his head and squinted in the dark room at Kolivan sleeping restlessly next to him.

His face was twisted into a grimace and his fangs were digging into his bottom lip, stifling most of the noises he was making. His arm jerked and Hunk looked down to find his hands fisted in the sheet. His claws had torn through the fabric.

He was having a nightmare.

Hunk rolled onto his side to face Kolivan. He knew better than to prop himself up and hover over Kolivan, or to touch him to wake him up. They’d both had to learn different ways to help each other.

“Kolivan,” Hunk said, trying to keep his voice calm and soft.

Kolivan’s face scrunched up more, but otherwise he didn’t react to Hunk’s voice. Hunk tried again and again, repeating Kolivan’s name for several long minutes until the Galra finally awoke.

Kolivan’s eyes shot open with a snarl, his face twisted in phantom pain and anger from his nightmare.

“Shh, you’re okay, it’s okay,” Hunk soothed, maintaining his distance despite the near overwhelming urge to reach out and comfort his lover.

“It was just a dream, you’re safe in the Castle of Lions.” Hunk continued repeating platitudes, keeping his voice calm and gentle. Slowly, Kolivan’s breathing evened out and his fists unclenched from their death grip on the sheet.

Hunk quieted down and watched Kolivan for several ticks as he closed his eyes and tried to compose himself.

“Can I touch you?” Hunk asked softly. His need to hold Kolivan close and make sure he was okay was too strong to ignore.

Instead of answering, Kolivan lifted his arm and Hunk immediately pressed himself up against Kolivan’s side, wrapping his arms around his chest. Kolivan wrapped his own arms around Hunk and pressed his face into his hair, breathing in deeply.

Hunk wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, holding each other close and breathing each other in. It was comforting in a way that few things were, these days. Kolivan’s embrace was so warm and  _safe_  that it almost lulled Hunk to sleep again. He forced himself to stay awake, though, for Kolivan.

“You had a nightmare,” Hunk said some time later.

Kolivan made a rumbling sound in his chest, but otherwise didn’t respond. Hunk held back a sigh. He knew Kolivan hated talking about his dreams, but he also knew that Kolivan always felt better after talking it out with Hunk. So instead of letting it go like he knew Kolivan wanted him to at the moment, he pushed himself somewhat out of Kolivan’s arms and situated himself so he could look him in the face.

“Tell me about it.” Hunk made sure to make it sound like a request rather than a command. He wasn’t going to  _force_  Kolivan to talk, but he wasn’t going to let it go, either.

Kolivan looked at Hunk for several long moments, studying his face in the darkness. Eventually, he sighed and lifted his hand to Hunk’s head, pressing him back down to rest against his chest. Hunk went willingly, knowing that Kolivan didn’t like to speak of his dreams while looking Hunk in the eye.

He felt vulnerable enough as it was.

“I was undercover, working for the witch.” Kolivan’s voice was was raspy and quiet, as though the words physically ached in his chest.

“I was running experiments on soldiers, but… it was Antok under my knife, not some nameless soldier.”

Hunk squeezed his arms around Kolivan, his heart aching in his chest. 

“He begged.” Kolivan’s breath hitched and he had to stop, taking a deep breath before continuing.

“He begged for me to stop, to save him. But I couldn’t risk the mission.” He sounded bitter in a way that made tears prick at the corners of Hunk’s eyes. Kolivan was so strong, and he was always willing to do what was necessary for the cause. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt him. It didn’t mean he never regretted the choices he had to make.

“And then the witch came and said he was no longer  _needed_ ,” Kolivan growled. His arm tightened around Hunk. “She ordered me to… to terminate the experiment.”

“And I did.” There was so much shame in the quiet admission, and Hunk could no longer hold back his tears. A quiet sob escaped his lips before he could bite them closed.

Kolivan moved, rolling them over so that he was lying on top of Hunk, supporting himself with his elbows.

“A’sayar,” Kolivan murmured, wiping away a tear with the brush of a finger against Hunk’s cheek. 

Hunk shook his head, unable to give words to the pain he felt on Kolivan’s behalf. Instead, he reached up, cradling Kolivan’s head between his hands and bringing his forehead down to rest against Hunk’s. 

It was a gesture Kolivan had taught him, one of infinite meanings to the Galra.  _I am here. I grieve with you. I comfort you. I love you._

They stayed like that, long past the point Hunk’s tears stopped falling and had dried against his cheeks. Their breaths mingled in the little space between them, and Hunk began to feel a peacefulness spread throughout him.

Eventually, Hunk pushed gently at Kolivan’s chest until he lifted his head far enough for Hunk to look him in the eye.

Hunk studied Kolivan in the low light. There was no anger or guilt, no shame or grief clouding his gaze. There was only a gentle look, one filled with love and hard-earned peace. 

Sometimes, there were no words that could be spoken in the silence that followed grief like a shadow. But Hunk knew a few words that could soothe the ache of loneliness, grief’s ever-present twin.

“I love you, a’sayar.” His voice was quiet as a breath, soft as a lover’s kiss.

Kolivan pressed his face into Hunk’s neck, breathing in his scent and hiding the way Hunk’s words had affected him. Hunk reached up and laid his hand against Kolivan’s head, gently brushing his fingers against his fur. It was Hunk’s silent way of telling Kolivan that it was okay.

“And I, you.” Kolivan’s lips brushing against Hunk’s skin as he whispered the quiet admission.

Hunk closed his eyes, and knew that they would be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a kudo/comment if you enjoyed!
> 
> link to [my tumblr](https://sleepyhunk.tumblr.com/) / [link to this prompt fill on tumblr](https://sleepyhunk.tumblr.com/post/168161107176/136-with-kolivunk-if-thats-ok)


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